So, you want to start a town! Part 2

An earlier post (11/9/07) gave some details of the first ten ordinances adopted by the Incorporated Town of Bradley. Continuing in that same vein, here are highlights from the next ten ordinances.

Ordinance No. 11: “… An Ordinance to Fix the Rate of Taxation, For General Purposes, for the year 1919.” This ordinance levied “…a tax of five mills on the Dollar … upon all of the taxable property, real and personal, situate in the corporate limits of the Incorporated Town of Bradley…,” “…based upon the assessment of the County Assessor for the year 1919 and as equalized by the County Board of Assessors for said year 1919.”

Ordinance No. 12: “… An Ordinance to Prohibit Gaming ….” This ordinance prohibited “…betting money, or any valuable thing, on any game of brag, bluff, poker, seven-up, three-up, twenty one, vingturn [?], thirteen cards, the add trick, forty-five, whist, or any other game…” and “… betting any money, or any valuable thing, at any game played with dice, such as craps or any other name….” The fine was “…any sum not less than Ten ($10.00) Dollars and not more than Twenty-Five ($25.00) Dollars.”

Ordinance No. 13: “… An Ordinance to Define the duties of the Town Treasurer of the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Arkansas.” This ordinance required the Town Treasurer to, among other things, “…file with the Recorder of the Town and good and sufficient bond …in the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, for the faithful performance of his duties….” Also, “…for his services the Treasurer shall be allowed and paid five percent, on all the funds disbursed by him during his term of office on warrants properly drawn on and against the Treasury.”

Ordinance No.14: “… An Ordinance to prohibit all Shows and intertainments [sic] of any kind from charging an admission fee … without first procuring a license and permit from the Town Marshal ….” Section 1 provided, “That any person or persons desiring to give an intertainment [sic] or exhibition of any kind where an admission fee is charged (except where at least ten percent of the gross receipts go to the School or Churches of the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Arkansas) shall first pay a license of Ten ($10.00) Dollars for the first day, then ten percent of the gross receits [sic] for the next ten days, then five percent of the gross receits [sic] for each day thereafter.”

Ordinance No. 15: “… An Ordinance to Prohibit the Shooting of fireworks of any and all kinds and description within certain boundary lines named below ….” The “boundary line” was a prohibition “…within two blocks of the St. Louis South-Western Rail Road Company’s Depot, in any direction, and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than Five ($5.00) Dollars.”

Ordinance No. 16: “… An Ordinance Regulating Speed ….” Provides “… it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to run an automobile or truck at a greater rate of speed than Twelve (12) Miles per Hour ….” The fine was “… not less than Five ($5.00) nor more than Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars for each and every offense.”

Ordinance No. 17: “… An Ordinance Regulating the Parking of Cars and other Vehicles ….” Provides “… it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to park any automobile, truck or other vehicle, or to receive or discharge passengers from any automobile, truck or other vehicle within twenty-five (25) feet of the South entrance of the St. Louis South-Western Passenger Depot.” Offenders “… shall be fined in any sum not less than Two Dollars and fifty Cents ($2.50) nor more than Ten ($10.00) Dollars, or shall be subject to imprisonment of not less than One (1) Day nor more than Two (2) Days.”

Ordinance No. 18: “An Ordinance to regulate and lisence [sic] the running of a meat market or Butcher Shop … and to prohibit the sale of fresh meats on the Streets of the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Arkansas.” The total price of the license was $27.00. Also, “It shall be unlawful … to sell fresh meats on the Streets … by Retail, or less quantities than quarters thereof of said animals, without first procuring a Lisence [sic] therefor …” “PROVIDED, This Ordinance shall not apply to any Ex-Confederate of Ex-Union Soldier or Sailor, or any producer offering their on [sic] product …” The fine was $2.50 to $10.00 per day of violation.

Ordinance No. 19: “An Ordinance to Prohibit the Transportation of Intoxicating Liquors and Having in Possession Intoxicating Liquors ….” This ordinance prohibits transport or possession of any “alcoholic, vinous malt, spiritous or firmented [sic] liquor or any compound in preporation [sic] thereof commonly called bitters, tonics or medicated liquors EXCEPT as provided in Section 6181 Crawford and Moses’ Digest of the State of Arkansas.” Violators “…shall be fined in any sum not less than One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars nor more than One Thousand ($1000.00) Dollars for each offense, and may be confined in the City Jail not less than Thirty (30) Days nor more than Ninety (90) Days.” This is the first ordinance that bears signatures below it: “W. L. Jackson, Mayor.” “W. E. Cochran, Recorder.”

Ordinance No. 20: “An Ordinance To Prohibit Vagrancy….” Section 1 provides: “Any able bodied person, or persons, above the age of Fourteen (14) Years in the Incorporated Town of Bradley, Arkansas, without some visible means support [sic], no regular employment, and not seeking some honest employment, shall be adjudged a Vagrant.” The fine was $10.00 to $100.00, “… and on default of payment of fine and costs the prisoner shall be confined in jail not to exceed Thirty (30) days, and the City Marshal (with the Council’s approval) shall have the authority to work all prisoners on the Streets …, the prisoner to be credited on his fine and cost One ($1.00) Dollar for each day’s work.”